The police officer backed down, but a few minutes later as the EMTs were strapping her onto the gurney, she overheard him on the phone. “No idea. Never been in a showdown with a Secret Service agent before.” A pause. “True.” Another pause. “Yeah. She’s gorgeous, but—” A longer pause. “Yeah. I’ll find out.”
Gil walked into the room, and the police officer walked away. Gil stared after him for a moment before turning to her. “Ivy.” When he said her name, she could almost see the boy she’d known. Although that boy had grown into a man with jet-black hair, which was currently disheveled because he kept running his hand through it. He leaned close, and his sky-blue eyes captured hers. She couldn’t look away. “I wish I could go with you, but I have to stay here. We’ll have security for you at the hospital. I’ll find you as soon as I can.” He reached a hand toward her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear, a move he’d perfected during their last summer together. Then the paramedics had whisked her away.
She probably should have called someone. But who?
She had employees. Coworkers. Business associates. She could pick up the phone and have a lunch date or coffee chat with any number of prominent Raleigh business leaders.
But she didn’t have friends. She had colleagues.
And as of today, she had Gil. But she had no idea what he was.
If anyone had asked her this morning what would happen if she ever ran into Gil Dixon again, she would have offered up several scenarios. One possibility involved them making eye contact, after which she would turn and run away. Very mature, that one. Also, the most likely.
She’d also considered the possibility that she might burst into tears and immediately start babbling and asking for forgiveness. Or she might stand before him, mute and miserable, as he unloaded fifteen years of righteous anger. If he wanted to do that, she would have to let him. She deserved it all.
No matter how many times she’d considered the possible options, not once had she dared to hope that he would look at her the way he had tonight.
And never, not ever, had she expected him to call her Buttercup.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to all who so freely spend your time helping get the job descriptions right in this story.
Dru, I can’t thank you enough. I have no idea how many hours you spent making sure all my FBI “stuff” was correct, but it was more than I can ever repay.
Wayne Smith, the same goes for you! Thank you so much for fixing my mistakes and offering feedback to make the story “real.”
I’m so blessed that God has put you two in my life and I thank him daily for you!
A huge thank-you to my cousin-in-law, Michael Wiggs, who is a flight nurse extraordinaire! THANK you for all the information you provided. I couldn’t have written this without you.
I also need to say a special thanks to Scott Rhoades who describes himself as: Aerospace Nurse, Researcher, Explorer, Teacher, Author, Life Traveler, Christ-Follower, World Changer. I call him friend now. I can’t thank you enough for your generous giving of your time and information. You’ve given me so much great material, I think I have enough for a whole new character! Thank you and may God richly bless you!
Thank you to my brainstorming buddies! Colleen Coble, Carrie Stuart Parks, Robin Carroll, Voni Harris, Pam Hillman, Dru Wells, Lynn H. Blackburn, Edie Melson, Emme Gannon, Alycia Morales, Erynn Newman, Linda Gilden, Molly Jo Realy, Tammy Karasak, and Michelle Cox. Y’all are amazing and I love each and every one of you.
A shout-out to the Revell team who make the book shine! I can’t say thank you enough to Andrea Doering, Barb Barnes, Karen Steele, Michele Misiak, and Laura Klynstra (and team) and EVERYONE! I love you all!
Thank you to Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. Thank you for your tireless dedication to helping me make the best decisions in my career and for always being on my side. Thank you, my friend, I love you bunches.
Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Half Title Page
Books by Lynette Eason
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Epigraph
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Author Note
Another Thrilling Story from Revell
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
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